Display monitors and monitor mount

Abstract

A system includes a monitor mount and first and second monitors. The monitor mount includes a first coupling, a second coupling, and a first power bus. The first monitor includes a first electronic visual display and has a size and shape configured to be detachably secured to the monitor mount by the first coupling. The first monitor can optionally be powered by the first power bus when secured to the monitor mount. The second monitor includes a second electronic visual display and a third coupling. The second monitor has a size and shape configured to: (i) be detachably secured to the monitor mount by the second coupling, (ii) detachably secure the first monitor by the third coupling, and (iii) surround at least a portion of the first electronic visual display when the first monitor is secured to the second monitor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a monitor mount; 
 a first monitor detachably securable to the monitor mount and defining a first forward surface and a first side surface, the first monitor including:
 a first visual display on the first forward surface, and 
 a data-collecting sensor interface on the first side surface; 
 
 a second monitor detachably securable to the monitor mount such that, when assembled with the first monitor and the monitor mount, the first monitor is positioned between the second monitor and the monitor mount, the second monitor defining a second forward surface and including a second visual display on the second forward surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first monitor collects and displays data as an independent device when detached from the second monitor and from the monitor mount. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first monitor, the second monitor, and the monitor mount are assembled, the first visual display is obscured and the second visual display second monitor displays data collected by the first monitor. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first monitor and the monitor mount, secured by a first coupling, collect and display data as an independent subsystem with the second monitor detached. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a first coupling between the first monitor and the monitor mount has symmetric features to detachably secure the first monitor in a first orientation or in a second orientation, the second orientation being rotated 180 degrees in a plane of the first forward surface compared to the first orientation. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first monitor includes a handle on the first side surface near the sensor interface, the handle being angled to facilitate user access to the sensor interface and enable the user to secure or detach the first coupling. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first coupling is secured by a process that includes placing a back portion of the first monitor against a forward portion of the monitor mount, and 
 the first coupling is detached by a process that includes removing the back portion of the first monitor from the forward portion of the monitor mount. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a first coupling is secured or detached by a process that includes sliding a back portion of the first monitor laterally along a forward portion of the monitor mount. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a first coupling between the first monitor and the monitor mount and a second coupling between the second monitor and the monitor mount comprises a power bus. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a first coupling between the first monitor and the monitor mount and a second coupling between the second monitor and the monitor mount comprises an optical, electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic connection. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupling between the first monitor and the second monitor,
 the first monitor and the second monitor being operable to collect and display data as a subsystem independent of the monitor mount when the coupling is secured and the first monitor and the second monitor are detached from the monitor mount; and 
 the coupling enabling the data collected by the first monitor to be displayed by the second monitor. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the second monitor defines a cavity; 
 a first mating portion of the coupling is on a second side of the first monitor, the second side opposing the first side; 
 a second mating portion of the coupling is at an end of the cavity; and 
 the coupling is secured by sliding the first monitor into the cavity. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling comprises a power bus. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling comprises an optical, electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic connection. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 positioning a sensor to monitor a medical parameter of a patient, 
 connecting the sensor to a sensor interface of a first monitor, 
 collecting data from the sensor and displaying it on a first visual display of the first monitor; 
 co-locating the patient, the first monitor, and a subsystem, wherein:
 the subsystem comprises a second monitor; 
 the coupling detachably secures the first monitor to the second monitor such that the second monitor obscures the first visual display of the first monitor; and 
 
 the data collected from the sensor is displayed on a second visual display of the second monitor; 
 magnetically or electromagnetically coupling the first monitor to the subsystem while the sensor remains connected to the sensor interface and positioned relative to the patient; and 
 continuously collecting and displaying uninterrupted data from the patient during the co-locating and the coupling. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the subsystem comprises a monitor mount, 
 the coupling detachably secures the first monitor to the monitor mount, and 
 the data collected from the sensor continues to be displayed on the first visual display of the first monitor. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the coupling positions the first monitor between the monitor mount and the second monitor. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first monitor is coupled to the subsystem in one of at least two alternative orientations. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the subsystem provides electrical power to the first monitor. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the subsystem comprises additional sensors. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the coupling to the subsystem expands the processing power or the network connectivity available to the first monitor. 
     
     
       22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor in a first monitor to:
 collect data from a sensor through a sensor interface; 
 determine whether a second monitor is magnetically or electromagnetically coupled to the first monitor such that the second monitor obscures a first visual display of the first monitor; 
 if so, bypass the first visual display of the first monitor and display the data on a second visual display of the second monitor. 
 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , further comprising instructions to:
 determine whether a monitor mount is connected to the first monitor; 
 
       if so, utilize any power bus, network interface, or processor available through the connection to the monitor mount.